1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for the production of a carbon allotrope know as a fullerene.
2. Prior Art Statement
Recently, new carbon allotropes whose steric structures are formed by the aggregation of about 30-500 carbon atoms have been discovered and given the name "fullerenes". At present, studies are being devoted to developing combinations of these carbon allotropes with various substances and utilizing such combinations in various technical fields related to superconducting materials, optical switching elements, and pharmaceutical products.
Fullerenes have heretofore been produced by a procedure which comprises irradiating carbon with a laser beam or plasma of a high energy density and blowing out the vaporized carbon with an inert gas such as helium, or by the CVD technique.
These methods, however, produce only a fullerene powder or an extremely thin fullerene coating film which is low in adhesiveness. The substances obtained by these methods are therefore difficult to utilize effectively and their physical properties are hard to evaluate.
An object of this invention is to provide a method for producing a relatively thick coating film of carbon allotrope excelling in adhesiveness.